Set in Stone
by AngelsAshes
Summary: There was nothing she could do to change or prevent this, because this moment was set in stone by destiny itself and with great grief Pluto, the Guardian of Time, Setsuna Meioh, resigned to her own fate.
1. Prelude

I don't own nothing... so please don't sue me!

"..." - speak

'...' - thoughts

Prelude

"So, little Pluto, are you ready to give in?" asked a voice filed with malice.

The green haired garnet eyed beauty just spitted blood in answer, too weak to form a sentence. The owner of the malicious voice just laughed in return and bent down till his face was on Pluto's eye-level.

"I admit that I didn't think you would last this long… but I'm getting tired of this little game of yours. Give me the answers I want and I will let your "precious" hime live, hmn? What do you say?"

Pluto gathered all her strength and stood up. Her black and white sailor suit was stained with her own blood, her skirt was torn and her gloves were nothing but shreds of cloth. Pluto looked behind her enemy to see her Time Staff forgotten on the floor _'If only I could reach it…'_

"You are wrong if you think I will bend to empty threats, Charon!"

"But, my sweet Pluto, they are not empty threats… You of all people should now about the powers I possess."

The sailor looked in Charon's eyes dreading the truth of his words. He was right. She knew everything about his powers but nothing in her skills or knowledge of past, present and future could have prepared her for this. Every choice, every change in the events… nothing could have stopped him from coming here in the Gates of Time and fight her. There was nothing she could do to change or prevent this, because this moment was set in stone by destiny itself and with great grief Pluto, the Guardian of Time, Setsuna Meioh, resigned to her own fate.

"Yes, Charon, I will give you the answers you seek but on one condition…"the guardian said with one tear escaping from her eyes.

End


	2. The Merge

I don't own nothing... so please don't sue me!

"..." - speak

'...' - thoughts

The Merge

Hotaru woke up startled. She just had a vision about Setsuna and was really worried about what she saw to notice the figure in front of her bed looking at her.

"Hotaru, calm down…"

"What are you doing here?" The violet eyed girl asked the ghost like image of Sailor Saturn."

"Our merge is needed once again, Hotaru. The vision you just had is happening now. We have to merge and in the process you need to learn everything about your powers."

"Shouldn't I help Setsuna-mama first?"

"No. What is happening to her can't be changed. You have to prepare for what will come. Are you ready? – Saturn's ghost asked while offering her hand."

Hotaru looked at the hand before asking:

"Will I age again?" Saturn's eyes got wide with the rare tone of childish innocence used in Hotaru's voice. _'That tone won't be in her anymore if we complete the merge'_ the warrior of Death and Rebirth thought sadly.

"Yes…" Saturn whispered "you will age again."

The thirteen years old Hotaru looked at Saturn's eyes with trust before holding the Sailor's hand and closing her eyes. And in that moment Hotaru merged with Saturn, the warrior that stayed in sleep for millenniums, and acquired her full memories and knowledge about her powers.

End


	3. The Battle Begins

I don't own nothing... so please don't sue me!

"..." - speak

'...' - thoughts

The Battle Begins

Haruka, a.k.a. Sailor Uranus, woke up earlier to go out jogging. The sun wasn't up yet and she had already past two blocks from the outer's house. The reason she was up so early was because of a strange feeling she got from the wind. Something just wasn't right and instead of staying at home getting stressed by every minute past, she chose to go out and maybe calm down.

Still the feeling didn't left her and she started to think about going back and ask Michiru to look at her mirror and see if something was up. But her communicator started ringing and she went to an alley to answer the signal.

"Haruka! We need your help! There is an attack at Rei's Temple. Come, quick!" Makoto's voice stopped abruptly after the sound of something hitting the floor.

Haruka turned and started running with all her speed _'One block… Two blocks… Front gate… keys… front door… stairs… hallway… bedroom's door'._

"Michiru! We are needed. Now" Haruka yelled and went to Hotaru's. But when she opened the door her mouth dropped open by the sight in front of her. Hotaru was holding hands with a translucent Saturn, both in a deep trance state.

"I think they are merging. " The quiet voice of Michiru was heard "This battle must be serious if she is doing this. Let's go, she will follow after she is done. "

The two girls transformed and ran to Rei's Temple as fast as they could and when they got there the battle seemed to be at the end. Sailor Jupiter and Mars were attacking while Venus was protecting Mercury who was trying to release Sailor Moon from a dark crystal encase. Not too far from the dark crystal the body of Mamoru was laid in a strange angle.

The enemy was a little six years old girl with dark black hair that seemed to absorb all the light around her and didn't have any shine in it. Her eyes were all black like her hair and her skin was more pale then Hotaru's. The girl had a "ying&yang" mark on her forehead and was wearing a black robe that covered all her body.

Uranus and Neptune didn't make a presentation sailor's style; they just attacked with their powers hopping to get some time for Saturn.

"Nice! Two more sailors for me to play around" The little girl said while absorbing Uranus' and Neptune's attacks.

End

PS: About the other sailors... I thought about it and decided that this fic will be centered on Setsuna and Hotaru only.


	4. Sailor Pluto

I don't own nothing... so please don't sue me!

"..." - speak

'...' - thoughts

Sailor Pluto

Past

"Setsuna, I'm going to tell you a secret that only the royal family of the moon knows about. I want you to look carefully what I'm about to show you, okay?" Serenity IV said this to me while we were walking through the corridors that ended in a big wooden door, which was quite rare in a castle made from crystal.

The queen sang an old saying that at the time I had never heard before. The door opened and we entered. The room was real dark; the only thing that I could see were three spotlights lighting three objects, each one on a pedestal. My eyes got wide when I recognized the one in the middle.

"The Silver Crystal!" My young voice filled the large room with eco. The queen only nodded and said:

"Yes, child, but I want you to pay attention at the other two."

I looked at the one on the right first. It was a staff, a tall one with the shape of a key with a red orb in the middle of the head piece. When I looked at it I felt a strange pull and somehow a great sense of old wisdom.

The one on the left was a huge black glaive with the metal part in the shape of an adorned G. It was really simple compared with the other two but I could feel it was anything but. The power radiated from it like calm waves waiting to be used. Its power was great but difficult to control.

Once more my eyes turned to the key shaped staff before I set them on the queen's figure.

"Why show them to me?" I asked trying to understand why it was so important that I looked at them that forced me to leave my home planet.

"Well… I understand that you have a gift, the power to see things from the past and future isn't that right?"

"Yes, but…"

"And you know that powers are very unusual in people with no noble blood. The nobles from Mercury have the power over ice; the Venusian family has the power over love and metal and so on… But you, my sweet, are not from a noble family and you still have this rare power." The queen explained while she walked to the staff on the right.

"Is that so wrong?" I asked with fear and the queen turned in my direction to look at my confused face.

"Not at all, child, I 'm sorry if I'm confusing you. I should've started at the beginning. My ancestor, Serenity the first, when the Moon Kingdom didn't exist, received these three objects with the mission to unite all the planets of this solar system. The first of the three was the Silver Crystal that was given to her and her line. Its power is only to create and shall be protected by my family till the ends of time. The second one was this staff, called the Time Staff, unlike the Silver Crystal; its bearer has to be chosen by the Staff itself. Anyone that touches it without being chosen will instantly go mad."

"What about the other one?" I asked after some seconds pondering the Queen's words.

"Ah…" the Queen turned to the black glaive admiring it before speaking "The Silence Glaive, a great weapon with a terrible power. Besides its wielder no one can use it, unless the person wants her death. The power level of these three objects is the same, but they work differently. The Silver Crystal creates life and purifies evil, the Time Staff control time and gives knowledge once forgotten and the Silence Glaive has the power over death and rebirth." The queen finally looked at me with her blue eyes shinning with expectation. "And I think that you are the Staff's chosen, little one."

I looked at the staff and, again, I felt the pull. But was I the real chosen? The sudden fears of what could happen to me if I wasn't filed me. But the pull stayed strong and I saw myself approaching the weapon and finally holding it.

At first nothing happened but then… I felt the old knowledge leaving the Staff and filling my mind. I almost lost it, but somehow I kept my sanity. When the transfusion was done the Queen helped me stand and lead me to my new room saying that tomorrow I would start the training to become Sailor Pluto, the Sailor of Time.

Present

The Guardian of Time woke up and when the memories came to her she almost threw up. She looked at her self to see the ruined suit stained with blood, her blood. Setsuna could feel the tears surfacing and one sob escaped her lips before she could control it. "How could I let things turn so wrong!" She thought guiltily… She was supposed to prevent this kind of things, but the Time wasn't on her hands now.

"Never thought I would see you cry, Setsuna." The strangely kind voice said.

The sailor looked up from her suit and so Charon seated on a chair a few foots away from her. He was covered in his dark brow cape and the only thing she could see was his haunting eyes examining her. She felt chills when the idea of him watching her sleep came to her mind.

"You promised me that the princess would live." The woman said with hate in her voice.

"She is alive, Set. The princess is just encased in a black crystal. She still lives like I promised."

"And I already gave you the answers, Charon. Why are you still here?" Setsuna asked angry and tried to stand up.

"Set, Set, Set… How can you be so naïve? Did you really think that I came here just for the answers?" Charon said while walking to the fallen warrior. "You are clever than that. Answer me, why am I here?" He whispered in her ear while holding her up.

Setsuna looked at him. Even this near her, she couldn't see his face entirely, that was a red blood cloth covering his mouth and nose. The sailor looked at his eyes for a moment before answering.

"I don't know…"

"I am here for revenge! Revenge for what you did to me!" He said while tightening his grip on her shoulders. The madness was back in his eyes and for the first time Setsuna feared for her death.

End


	5. The Plan

I don't own nothing... so please don't sue me!

"..." - speak

'...' - thoughts

The Plan

Hotaru opened her eyes. She was using her first uniform as Sailor Saturn, the one with the eight pointed star. Her eyes looked at the mirror that showed her older reflection. She was now eighteen years old. The Messiah called her glaive and said a chant in her forgotten language. In the next second she wasn't there anymore.

"I was waiting for you." The young voice of a child said, Saturn turned around and looked at her enemy.

The bodies of the sailors were displayed in front of her. Mercury was lying in front of the black crystal where Moon was in with a heavy wound on her head. A little to the side was Mamoru who probably broke his neck. Some foots in front of Mercury and the black crystal were the bodies of Uranus and Neptune holding each other, probably trying to protect Mercury by receiving the first blow. A little further were Venus, Mars and Jupiter. The warrior of thunder was probably the last one to die because her body was right in front of the dark little girl.

"Killing them was a lost of time." Saturn said before she started to resurrect them.

"No, you won't." The girl replied and encased the bodies in black crystals preventing Saturn's power. "My lord told me about you. It seems you two were old friends."

"Who is your lord? " Saturn asked trying to know something about the enemy she was against.

The little girl only laughed and sent a powerful dark blast in Saturn's direction. The sailor raised a barrier trying to get some time to think. "I can't stay defending from her all the time and I can't revive my friends, what I shall do…"

"Who is your lord, little girl?" The sailor increased her aura to maybe scare the enemy. The girl's eyes got wide for one second before a sinister smile formed on her lips.

"You really don't have a clue, do you? He won't be happy to hear that, he was very fond of you…"

"Answer me, damn it!" The Messiah ordered while summoning a great amount of souls around them. She new that attacking the girl would be useless since she could absorb her energy attacks. The girl only attacked to bait her to counter it.

"If you must know… My lord's name is Charon."

Saturn's eyes got wide and instantly the souls around the duo disappeared. She couldn't believe it was him, he was supposed to be dead. He died in the Silver Millennium. It wasn't possible for him to be alive, or to be revived by the Queen after what he had done.

"How..." her weak voice escaped her mouth and the child in front of her just laughed in return. She needed more power to save her friends. She needed more knowledge to defeat him. Then something finally came to her mind, it would be risky and she had never had done this before but she would do it anyway. "Bye Setsuna, I hope you understand. I will come back."

The little girl ran in Saturn's direction hopping to prevent what she thought the sailor was doing. But she was too late, a barrier was raised and she couldn't reach the warrior.

"Don't even think about it!" The girl yelled with rage. "My lord wants you alive!"

"I already did and if your lord wants me let him seek me." With that Saturn closed her eyes and started an old chant in The Silent Language. "I, bearer of the Silence Glaive, Messiah of Silence, Sailor of Death and Rebirth command that my domain's gates open for me. Domains of Souls open for your ruler!"

The earth shook in that moment and the girl finally showed some fear in front of the great power in front of her. Sailor Saturn opened her eyes and smile before being engulfed by thousands of shadows. One second later the girls was once more alone with just the black crystals with her in that empty temple.

Gates of Time

"Where is she!" Charon appeared from nowhere and gripped Setsuna's arms harshly. "Tell me!"

Setsuna looked at his eyes filled with rage and madness. She couldn't help but think that if he didn't killed her before, now he would if she didn't answer.

"She went to the Domains of Souls to be reborn again in another place, probably another dimension. It's a risky move but I believe she has what it takes. Why are you so interested in her?" The Guardian of Time thanked that her voice didn't crack.

"Why shouldn't I? After all, she was a part of my past, just like you… "His eyes gleamed before he disappeared in darkness.

The warrior of time once more fought against tears before saying:

"I pray that your plan works, Hotaru!"

End


	6. Lost

I don't own nothing... so please don't sue me!

"..." - speak

'...' - thoughts

Lost

Saturn looked at her realm and couldn't help the smile appearing on her lips. The Domains of Soul was the only place she really felt she could be herself and let loose of all her power without the fear of destroying anything. And with a long intake of air The Warrior of Ruin started her path through the white valley.Here the ground was made from white pebbles; the sky was always a dark almost black color with black portals everywhere and that was it. Some people would think that it was a very empty land but for Saturn it was home.

"Queen Hotaru? It is really you or my eyes are playing tricks on me?" A quiet voice said from all around the valley.

"No, Phantom, your eyes are not playing with you. It is me." Hotaru answered with joy in her voice. Phantom was a creature that kept the souls flowing when she wasn't present. It was just a voice in the thin air, a voice that didn't belong to woman or man.

"Has my time come, my Queen?"

"No, I'm afraid that I can't free you yet, my friend. I'm still needed. I'm sorry!" her sudden joy turned in to sorrow at the statement. She couldn't prevent being sad when reminded that Phantom didn't belong here in the valley of souls. It was sent here so that she could leave. But she couldn't break the seal that imprisoned her friend till the fates didn't need her anymore.

"Don't be, my Queen. Sorrow doesn't suit you. So please, tell me the reason why you are here. What shall I do?" The voice said while creating a soft wind to comfort it's queen.

"I need to go to the source of my powers, Phantom. Do you know where I was born? Charon is a great foe and I need everything I can get."

The voice was silent for a moment. Everything seemed to stay still as if waiting the answer. Hotaru started walking again, looking at each black hole with interest while waiting.

"You shouldn't go back there… It will only bring you pain. You did leave that land for a reason. Please, Hotaru, don't go!"

Hotaru's eyes got wide for a moment. Phantom only dropped her title when it was really worried. _'Why I can't remember? From all the knowledge I received with the merge… I should know what happened to me before the Glaive?'_ The sailor stopped for a moment pondering until she whispered:

"Because I'm not supposed to…" And with a louder tone she said "Phantom, I understand your worries, but Princess Serenity is counting on me. Lead the way."

And with that, a light wind picked some of the pebbles and started to guide the Sailor of Silence through the white valley. She walked for a long time but time was different here and when she arrived at a final portal, she couldn't say if she lost an hour or five minutes on this walk.

The portal was ancient, that she could feel. It was the largest of all of them and in each side of it was a much smaller portal. She could sense the souls coming out of the large one like a great pack of wolfs while some would turn right and enter into the small one.

"Phantom, do you think you can stretch the portal of rebirth for me to go through? "

"But you don't have a body to return to. Why not go into the one of birth, Hotaru?"

"Because I can't loose time to be born again. Even if I can grow fast it would take a month to reach this stage and I would loose my memory and that I can not risk. Please, Phantom, can you do it?"

In answer she only felt the wind fighting to stretch the black hole on the right. Even if the portal was big enough for her, she couldn't pass it till it could support her power. So Hotaru only waited for Phantom's work to be done.

"My Queen, I cannot stretch it any longer… I'm sorry." the tired voice of Phantom was heard.

"Then this shall do… "And with these last words Hotaru jumped into the portal.

Pain… It was the first thing that came to her senses. Pain and weakness… Soon she tried to open her eyes but only black met her view. "Damn… I never thought it would hurt this bad" she thought while trying to get some control over her body.

Suddenly voices came crashing into her mind. They were soothing and powerful, she didn't recognize the language in which they were speaking but somehow she understood their meaning.

"Manwë, she has returned…"

"I know, Mandos. Estë is in her way…"

"Do you know the reason of her return?"

"Maybe… But now we should prepare her. I feel that she doesn't know about her past here or anything about Arda."

"Oh… dear child what have you done…" A strange feminine voice rang through Hotaru's mind. The voice seemed to stop the pain that was tormenting her body.

"Estë, take care of her… Her time here should be short"

"Yes, Manwë, but how should we call her?"

"Vanwe… she shall be called Vanwe."

"Lost… suitable name, Mandos" Manwë's voice rang one last time.

Hotaru tried to stay wake to hear more of the lovely voices and maybe understand what was happening, but her mind soon gave up.

End


End file.
